Interactive tool · Garment care
Every garment ships with its washing instructions written in five little pictograms — and workwear punishes you for guessing, because the wrong wash strips flame resistance, fades hi-vis below its class and delaminates waterproofs while everything still looks fine. Pick the symbol below and get the translation.
The tool
The reference
| Symbol | It governs | The short version |
|---|---|---|
| Tub of water | Washing | Number = max temperature. Bars underneath = gentler cycle. Hand = hand wash. Crossed out = don't wash |
| Triangle | Bleaching | Plain = any bleach. Two diagonal lines = oxygen bleach only. Crossed = none at all |
| Square with circle | Tumble drying | Dots = heat (1 low, 2 normal). Crossed = line dry only |
| Iron | Ironing | Dots = temperature (1 cool · 2 medium · 3 hot). Crossed = don't iron |
| Plain circle | Professional cleaning | Letter = the professional process (P, F or W). Crossed = no dry cleaning |
Why it matters here
Questions
The maximum wash temperature in degrees Celsius — it's a ceiling, not a target. A bar under the tub means use a gentler, reduced-agitation cycle at that temperature; two bars, gentler still.
Oxygen or non-chlorine bleach only. Oxygen-based whiteners are fine; chlorine bleach is prohibited — on poly-cotton it causes yellowing and fibre damage rather than whitening.
Tumble heat accelerates fading of the fluorescent dye and degrades the retroreflective tape — both of which the garment's EN ISO 20471 class depends on. Line drying preserves the certification; the dryer quietly erodes it.
The garment can drop below the performance its standard promises while looking perfectly fine — faded hi-vis that no longer meets its class, FR treatment stripped by the wrong detergent, waterproof membranes cooked by tumble heat. With protective kit, the care label is part of the safety spec.
The matching certified kit is one click away — or ask a human if the tool didn't settle it.